Chinese language agency recordsdata plans for 10,000-satellite constellation

HELSINKI — A Chinese language agency linked to industrial rocket maker Landspace has filed a notification with the ITU for a constellation comprising 10,000 satellites.

Shanghai Lanjian Hongqing Expertise Firm, also called Hongqing Expertise, filed an Advance Publication Info (API) with the Worldwide Telecommunication Union (ITU) Could 24. 

The submitting outlines plans for a constellation named Honghu-3. It’s to complete 10,000 satellites throughout 160 orbital planes. 

The API submitting notifies the ITU and member states about its intention to launch a satellite tv for pc community or system. Others can then evaluation the proposed satellite tv for pc community to evaluate any potential interference with their current or deliberate satellite tv for pc programs.

The Honghu constellation plan seems to be the third 10,000-plus satellite tv for pc megaconstellation deliberate by Chinese language entities. It follows the nationwide Guowang plan and the Shanghai-backed G60 Starlink proposal, each of which have been authorized by China’s Nationwide Improvement and Reform Fee (NDRC). First batches of satellites for the pair are anticipated to launch within the coming months.

The event will possible renew issues over crowding, collisions and particles in low Earth orbit. Presently, SpaceX’s Starlink is the biggest operational constellation with over 5,000 operational satellites and plans for as much as 42,000 spacecraft in orbit.

Honghu constellation background

Hongqing Expertise, based in 2017, has Beijing-based Landspace holding a 48% stake. The Shanghai-based firm was initially acknowledged for growing Corridor thruster propulsion know-how. The corporate is constructing a satellite tv for pc manufacturing facility in Wuxi Metropolis, Jiangsu province, near Shanghai. The funding supply for Hongqing Expertise’s plans was unclear at time of publishing.

The corporate’s Jinwu-200 (JW-200) krypton propellant Corridor impact thruster was examined on the Honghu-2 satellite tv for pc launched by a Landspace Zhuque-2 rocket in December final 12 months. The satellite tv for pc was developed collectively with small satellite tv for pc maker Spacety.

Hongqing Expertise is predicated in Shanghai’s Songjiang District and is concerned in plans to develop satellite tv for pc Web within the space, the place G60 Starlink can also be situated. G60 Starlink has submitted separate filings for its constellation plans.

The developments are linked to Shanghai’s motion plan to foster a industrial area ecosystem. That is likewise a part of China’s nationwide technique to construct a world-leading satellite tv for pc Web system and complete area energy.

China has beforehand introduced a nationwide plan for a space-ground built-in info community, or SGIIN. This seeks to create an built-in system which mixes communications, distant sensing, navigation, climate and different satellite tv for pc capabilities.

Landspace in the meantime is growing a chrome steel, reusable methane-liquid oxygen launcher named Zhuque-3. The 4.5-meter-diameter rocket is to be able to carrying 21,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expendable. It’s slated for a primary launch in 2025. The corporate has already carried out first vertical takeoff, vertical touchdown (VTVL) hop exams.

Landspace, like fellow industrial Chinese language rocket startups Area Pioneer, Galactic Power, iSpace and others, plan to launch satellites for China’s deliberate megaconstellations. 

China is at the moment constructing a industrial spaceport close to Wenchang to assist ease a bottleneck in entry to launch pads. This might be required to permit China to spice up its launch fee to construct its megaconstellations.

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